From our perspective, rooted in the soil, the first sign of trouble is often a subtle stiffness in our stems, a slight difficulty in moving water and nutrients upwards. Then, the rough, tumor-like growths appear, usually at our crown near the soil line or on our roots and lower canes. To you, these galls may look like light-brown, woody, misshapen warts. To us, they are a direct assault on our vascular system. The bacterium *Agrobacterium tumefaciens* has entered through a wound, and its foreign DNA has been forced into our own, hijacking our cells and forcing them to proliferate wildly and produce compounds only the bacterium can use. This disrupts our natural flow, weakening us significantly.
We cannot run from this pathogen; our defense relies on your careful stewardship. The most crucial action is to ensure we are planted in well-draining soil, as waterlogged conditions stress our roots and create easy entry points. Please be gentle when cultivating the soil around us and avoid any mechanical damage from tools to our crowns and roots. When pruning our canes, always use sharp, sterilized tools. Disinfect your shears with a 10% bleach solution or rubbing alcohol between each plant to prevent unknowingly spreading the bacterium from an infected rose to a healthy one. Furthermore, please source new roses from reputable nurseries that certify their plants as disease-free.
Once the gall has formed, it becomes a part of our physical structure. There are no chemical cures that can eradicate the bacterium from within our tissues. In severe cases, where the gall completely girdles a cane or our main crown, our fate is often sealed, and we will succumb. For smaller, localized galls, surgical removal can offer a chance. Using a sterilized knife, you can carefully cut away the gall, taking a portion of the healthy tissue around it to ensure complete removal. All excised material must be removed from the garden and destroyed; do not compost it. After surgery, we appreciate being allowed to focus our energy on healing. Provide us with optimal water and a balanced, gentle fertilizer to support new, healthy growth.
If we are infected but the gall is not life-threatening, we can often learn to live with the condition. You will notice we may be less vigorous, producing fewer and smaller blooms, and we may be more susceptible to winter damage or other stressors. Your role shifts to supportive care. Ensure we are not crowded, allowing for good air circulation. Maintain a consistent watering schedule, avoiding drought stress. A layer of organic mulch helps regulate soil temperature and moisture, conserving our energy for growth rather than stress response. By minimizing other pressures, you allow us to direct our limited resources towards thriving despite the infection.
